Im rebuilding a 99 northstar block. While cleaning up the head I notice 22 of the 32 lifters/ followers have a crack around the circumference of the side of the lifters, about the thickness of 2 nickels below the deck of the lifter. It looks like there almost machined that way. but Im not sure if its normal or not as so many of the have this in the same location. Anyone have an ideal if this is normal ?

Submariner409

11-14-10, 06:55 PM

Pictures, please - this sounds not good, but you may be looking at oil retention grooves - but why the odd number ?? Aftermarket replacements ??

What condition are the follower faces and cam lobes in ?? (Each follower MUST go back in with the same mating cam lobe it came out with........)

AJxtcman

11-14-10, 08:44 PM

It is the TOP of the lifter
Think about the shape of the lifter and hoe the supplier got parts inside of the lifter.

Submariner409

11-14-10, 09:06 PM

It is the TOP of the lifter
Think about the shape of the lifter and hoe the supplier got parts inside of the lifter.

:banghead: ................duh..........you mean like this ???? and you can see the oil port in this file - hydraulic follower.

AJxtcman

11-14-10, 11:00 PM

The top is hardened
http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd25/AJxtcman/93%20to%2099%20Cams/pre-200020cam20follower.jpg

Sorry for the late response guys. I have been real busy the last week. But right where AJ marked the lifter in blue is where the cracks are and they are in the same spot on 22 of the lifters.do these cracks affect the performance / reliability of the lifters ?

Submariner409

11-20-10, 10:33 AM

Sorry for the late response guys. I have been real busy the last week. But right where AJ marked the lifter in blue is where the cracks are and they are in the same spot on 22 of the lifters.do these cracks affect the performance / reliability of the lifters ?

Take a hard look at that area in Post #4 and in the picture that AJ inverted - that's the hardened crown on the hydraulic bucket. Should be no problems with your present lifters.

stoveguyy

11-20-10, 02:05 PM

i was at the junkyard and found a car with 1 of the cams removed. i pulled out several lifters/followers and inspected them. pretty clean. dropped them in dirt. came back a week later and car was gone but lifters were still mushed into the dirt.

jimsbox

11-20-10, 02:45 PM

Stoveguyy,

I don't understand your point about the lifters in the dirt. Could you elaborate please?

stoveguyy

11-20-10, 08:41 PM

just having a little fun with you. folks have mentioned how pricey lifters and cams are. if you had a car with a bad set of lifters, would you feel comfortable using used cam parts or buy new? but than how many folks have ever had to replace their cams/lifters?